Monday, May 23, 2005

Austria Lawmaker Wants to ID Dog Droppings

A local Vienna politician wants to use DNA technology to chase down owners of dogs that leave their droppings on streets and sidewalks.

Manfred Juraczka, a councilor in a Vienna district, said Monday he wants the city to register all dogs' DNA so that droppings left where people walk can be tested and the owner of the guilty dog punished.

'This method offers a multitude of unbeatable advantages,' Juraczka said in a statement, adding that all who fail to pick up after their dogs 'must count on being caught.'

Vienna's sidewalks are littered by dog droppings, and campaigns trying to persuade owners to pick up after their pets have made little difference. The city is home to almost 50,000 registered dogs, but the true number is believed to be much higher as many owners ignore the registration requirement."